ARTICLES ABOUT NOTIFICATION BY DATE - PAGE 3

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration has trimmed the U.S. Congress' decades-long role in vetting billions of dollars in proposed arms sales in a move that will result in more congressional efforts to block deals, key lawmakers said in a letter made public Wednesday. The newly disclosed tug-of-war between the lawmakers and the administration over the issue threatens to derail case-by-case consideration of arms deals, an increasingly prominent aspect of U.S. foreign policy.

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Supreme Court will take up the dispute over a long-dormant state law that prohibits minors from getting an abortion without notifying a parent or guardian. The state's high court decided Wednesday that it will hear arguments. Opponents long have argued that the 1995 law is unconstitutional. Republicans made the parental notification measure a key part of their agenda when they controlled state government. The law requires a physician to tell a parent, grandparent or legal guardian at least two days before someone younger than 18 gets an abortion.

The Illinois Supreme Court will take up the dispute over a long-dormant state law that prohibits minors from getting an abortion without notifying a parent or guardian. The state's high court decided Wednesday that it will hear arguments. Opponents long have argued the 1995 law is unconstitutional. Republicans made the parental notification measure a key part of their agenda when they controlled state government. The law requires a physician to tell a parent, grandparent or legal guardian at least two days before someone younger than 18 gets an abortion.

Gov. Pat Quinn's planned appearance Thursday at the pro-choice Personal PAC annual awards luncheon is a sharp stick in the eye of his professed faith, and Illinois' Catholic bishops have every right to poke back. The bishops, including Chicago Cardinal Francis George, questioned the collaboration of Quinn, a Catholic, with the organization. "We do not regret reminding the governor that as long as he claims to be Catholic, there are inconsistencies in what he is doing and what the church says is the moral standard," George said.

— The most interesting part of the highly contentious meeting of the Illinois Senate Executive Appointments Committee Thursday morning in the Capitol where I spent most of last week just hanging around was not the near fistfight between lawmakers, but the debate on "rough and tumble" political tactics. The scene: Gov. Pat Quinn had nominated abortion-rights activist Terry Cosgrove for a nearly $47,000-a-year seat on the state's Human Rights Commission and the committee was meeting to consider that nomination.

A Cook County Circuit Court judge on Monday lifted a temporary restraining order that has barred the Illinois parental-notification abortion law from going into effect, but then prevented state officials from enforcing the law pending an appeal. The 1995 law, which has been delayed in court and never enforced, would require doctors to notify a parent or guardian when a girl 17 or younger seeks an abortion. In November, the Illinois medical disciplinary board decided the state could begin enforcing the law. Hours later, Judge Daniel Riley granted a temporary restraining order sought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.

A Cook County Circuit Court judge said Monday that he will rule March 29 whether to dismiss a lawsuit that has halted the Illinois abortion notification law. The 1995 law, which has been delayed in court and never enforced, would require doctors to notify a parent or guardian when a girl 17 or younger seeks an abortion. In November, the Illinois medical disciplinary board decided the state could begin enforcing the law. Hours later, Judge Daniel Riley granted a temporary restraining order sought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.

Notification law blocked A Cook County judge has halted enforcement of Illinois' parent abortion notification law just hours after a state agency had given the all-clear. Judge Daniel A. Riley granted a temporary restraining order sought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois just hours after the Illinois Medical Disciplinary Board decided the state could begin enforcing the law, which requires parents or guardians to be notified when those 17 and younger seek abortions.

In a dramatic turn of events, a Cook County Circuit Court judge halted Illinois' parental notification law on abortion just hours after a state agency gave it the all-clear. Judge Daniel Riley granted a temporary restraining order sought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois in the late afternoon, hours after Illinois' medical disciplinary board decided the state could begin enforcing the law. It requires physicians to notify parents or guardians when those 17 or younger seek abortions.

Abortion opponents are crying foul over an 11th-hour decision by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to further delay enforcement of a parental notification law. Enforcement, set to begin Tuesday, would require physicians to notify a parent or guardian when a girl 17 or younger seeks an abortion. But late Friday, officials with the regulation department announced they would delay enforcement of the law until at least Wednesday, when its medical disciplinary board meets.